Apparatus for removing flash in pressure casting



Aug. 23, 1966 A. B. ZUEV ETAL APPARATUS FOR REMOVING FL ASH IN PRESSURE CASTING Filed Aug. 27. 1965 United States Patent 3,267,532 APPARATUS FOR REMOVTNG FLASH IN PRESflURE CASTING Alexandr Borisovich Zuev, ulitsa Ryhalko, i, Apt. 23; Viktor Pavlovich Savitsky, ulitsa Sheipichi, 28; and Grigory Emeljanovich Galaida, Mogilevskoe chausses, 7, Apt. 32, all of Minsk, USSR.

Filed Aug. 27, 1%3, Ser. No. 304,71 2 (Zlaims. (CI. 22-68) The present invention relates to casting and more particularly to apparatus for the automatic removal of flash in pressure casting machines provided with a vertical compression chamber.

Until recently flash has been removed manually in most of such machines, although proposals for mechanizing this operation were suggested through utilizing additional pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, mounted on the machine and included in the operating cycle of the machine. These attempts did not serve to overcome the difficulties arising in the process, and more particularly the suggested arrangements were very complicated, bulky and obstructed the working area of the machine. The present invention serves to successfully solve this problem.

It has been found that the same problem of removing the flash may be solved by a simple, reliable and compact apparatus without involving special drive mechanism. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the invention is in the form of a pendulum or more correctly an adjustable arm bell crank lever, arranged on a stand, the shorter arm of said lever cooperating with the upper pressure cylinder, and the longer arm being provided with a striker which removes the flash and cooperates with a latch, the operation of which is controlled by a limit switch actuated by movement of the lower plunger. This invention is particularly suited :for vertical chamber pressure casting machines.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a simple and compact apparatus for automatic removal of the flash in machine casting and dropping the removed flash into a conveyor adjacent the machine.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view with parts in section showing a portion of a casting machine during the pressure stroke and with the flash removing apparatus of this invention in cocked position; and

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the flash removing apparatus in flash removing position.

The present invention comprises an apparatus including a bell crank ilever 1, pivotally mounted on a bracket 2 on the frame 3 of the casting machine. The longer arm 1' of lever 1 has a striker or hammer 4 which removes the flash. The shorter arm 1" of lever 1 serves to bring the lever 1 to raised or cocked position, as shown in FIG. 1 by engagement with flange 5 of pressure piston 6. At the start of the pressure casting operation, the flange 5, upon downward movement (as shown by the arrowhead A) engages the shorter arm 1 of lever 1 causing striker 4 to move upwardly and engage latch 7. After completion of the pressing operation and upon upward movement of plunger 8 with knockout piston 9 (as shown by the arrowhead B), cam 10 also moves upwardly and actuates switch 11 to energize solenoid 12. Having overcome the resistance of spring 13, the solenoid 12 disengages latch 7 from striker 4 at the instant when flash 14 appears above the vertical cold compression chamber 15. Striker 4 swings downwardly from the cocked position, as shown by the arrow C, and impinges on the flash 14 with sufficient force to detach and deposit the same in the conveyor container 16 disposed adjacent the machine. The force necessary for detaching the flash 14 is obtained solely from the kinetic energy developed during the downward swinging movement of the striker or hammer 4 resulting from the force of gravity. Solenoid 12, housed in a metal casing, is supported by collar 17 on rod 1% of the machine or to any other suitable part of the machine.

The force of impact may be adjusted by varying the weight of striker 4 or by varying the length of the longer arm 11' of lever l, and the operation of the lever 1 is controlled by adjusting collar 17 and collar 19 carrying cam 10.

It has been found that the apparatus of the present invention effectively removes the flash formed during the pressure casting operation.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. An apparatus for removing the flash resulting from the operation of a pressure casting machine having a frame, a pressure chamber, a pressure plunger movable into and out of said chamber, a flange on said pressure plunger, a knock-out plunger, and a knock-out piston mounted on said knock-out plunger and slidably received in said chamber, said apparatus comprising a bracket on said frame adjacent said pressure plunger, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted on said bracket for vertical swinging movement, said ilever having a long arm and a short arm, a flash engaging striker on the outer end of said long arm, the outer end of said short arm being disposed in the path of movement of said flash, whereby upon movement of said pressure plunger in one direction said flange will engage said short arm to swing said long arm and striker upwardly to a cocked position and means for releasably retaining said striker in cocked position, whereby upon release of said retaining means said striker will swing downwardly under the force of gravity and will impinge on the flash projecting outwardly of said chamber to detach the flash, the force of impact of said striker resulting solely from the kinetic energy developed during downward swinging movement of said striker.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said means for releasably retaining said striker in cocked position comprises a latch mounted on said frame and engaging said striker in cocked position, a solenoid for releasing said latch, a switch for energizing said solenoid, and a cam mounted on said knock-out plunger for actuating said switch upon movement of said knock-out plunger in one direction to a predetermined. position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,544,316 6/1925 Hazeltine 18-2 RICHARD H. EANES, 1a., Primary Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR REMOVING THE FLASH RESULTING FROM THE OPERATION OF A PRESSURE CASTING MACHINE HAVING A FRAME, A PRESSURE CHAMBER, A PRESSURE PLUNGER MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF SAID CHAMBER, A FLANGE ON SAID PRESSURE PLUNGER, A KNOCK-OUT PLUNGER, AND KNOCK-OUT PISTON MOUNTED ON SAID KNOCK-OUT PLUNGER AND SLIDABLY RECEIVED IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A BRACKET ON SAID FRAME ADJACENT SAID PRESSURE PLUNGER, A BELL CRANK LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID BRACKET FOR VERTICAL SWINGING MOVEMENT, SAID LEVER HAVING A LONG ARM AND A SHORT ARM, A FLASH ENGAGING STRIKER ON THE OUTER END OF SAID LONG ARM, THE OUTER END OF SAID SHORT ARM BEING DEPOSED IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID FLASH, WHEREBY UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID PRESSURE PLUNGER IN ONE DIRECTION SAID FLANGE WILL ENGAGE SAID SHORT ARM TO SWING SAID LONG ARM AND STRIKER UPWARDLY TO A COCKED POSITION AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY RETAINING SAID STRIKER IN COCKED POSITION, WHEREBY UPON RELEASE OF SAID RETAINING MEANS SAID STRIKER WILL SWING DOWNWARDLY UNDER THE FORCE OF GRAVITY AND WILL IMPINGE ON THE FLASH PROJECTING OUTWARDLY OF SAID CHAMBER TO DETACH THE FLASH, THE FORCE OF IMPACT ON SAID STRIKER RESULTING SOLELY FROM THE KINETIC ENERGY DEVELOPED DURING DOWNWARD SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID STRIKER. 